New leaders in Damascus name for cordial Syria ties with a resistant Israel

DAMASCUS, Syria — The newly appointed governor of Damascus has referred to as on america to make use of its affect to push for cordial relations with Israel.

In a wide-ranging interview with NPR, Governor Maher Marwan, 42, mentioned that Syria’s new authorities didn’t wish to search battle with Israel, which has been placing strategic navy installations in Syria because the regime of former President Bashar al-Assad fell earlier this month.

“We have no fear towards Israel and our problem is not with Israel,” Marwan mentioned. “We don’t want to meddle in anything that will threaten Israel’s security or any other country’s security.”

Sitting in an enormous workplace in central Damascus, furnished with Syrian arabesque picket chairs and colorfully painted partitions, Marwan, carrying a swimsuit and tie, greeted the NPR staff. He solely shook arms with the male members of the group.

The governor mentioned it was comprehensible that Israel was involved when the brand new Syrian authorities took energy, due to sure “factions.”

“Israel may have felt fear at the beginning,” Marwan mentioned. “So it advanced a little, bombed a little.”

Along with Israel’s strikes on navy installations, it additionally has seized elements of the Golan Heights, stoking fears in Syria of annexation.

And but Marwan referred to as Israel’s worry “natural.”

Israel and Syria have by no means had diplomatic ties. They share a border however have been in a state of battle since Israel’s founding in 1948. The 2 nations have fought a number of wars over the a long time, and journey between them has been forbidden.

A cautious response from Israel

“This is good news … very, very remarkable,” Uzi Rabi, a senior researcher on the Moshe Dayan Middle for Center Jap and African Research at Tel Aviv College in Israel, mentioned of Marwan’s remarks to NPR.

Rabi mentioned the overture is noteworthy contemplating Syria’s historic opposition to Israel’s existence, and displays the pragmatism of Syria’s new management: it should rehabilitate the nation and can’t afford a battle with Israel.

Marwan mentioned his views represented these of town of Damascus, and the political beliefs of his boss – Syria’s de facto chief Ahmed al-Sharaa – and the international ministry.

Sharaa – the chief of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, which led the offensive that toppled the Assad regime on Dec. 8 – has beforehand mentioned that he doesn’t need battle with Israel.

HTS is a chosen terrorist group by america and has roots in al-Qaida, though the group broke away years in the past.

A U.S. delegation met with Sharaa in Damascus final week and introduced {that a} $10 million bounty can be lifted off the Syrian chief’s head.

Marwan referred to as on Washington to share HTS’ message with Israel.

“There exists a people who want peace and not disputes,” Marwan mentioned.

A U.S. official who was not approved to talk publicly in regards to the matter informed NPR that the U.S. relayed HTS’ message, however that Washington has not urged both nation in any route.

In an announcement to NPR, Israel’s response was unequivocal.

“Israel is taking measures to ensure that the security of its citizens is maintained,” the assertion from the Overseas Ministry mentioned. “We advise the international community to remember that Syria’s new ruling power seized large parts of Syria by force. It was not democratically elected. It has long-standing historical ties toal-Qaida. This is an extremist Islamist regime that simply moved from Idlib to Damascus.”

The assertion added: “The USA has not pressured Israel to act differently.”

Rabi mentioned Israel’s cautious response displays a “loss of confidence” within the viability of peace after the Hamas-led assault on Israel on Oct. 7, 2023. However he predicted Israel would possibly interact in dialogue with the brand new Syrian management by way of confidence-building measures within the coming months, resulting in “semi-normalization” of relations by way of safety cooperation alongside the border.

 ”You could look like a fool if you are going to say, ‘Hey, everything is okay. Peace is on the table. Let’s go for it,'” Rabi mentioned. “Time will tell, but this is just kind of an indication of how things are being changed in the Middle East for the good.”

A message to People

Marwan mentioned his principal message to the folks of america is one in every of peace.

“As a Syrian people, we are peaceful,” he mentioned. “We are not warmongering historically.”

Marwan blamed the Assad regime for creating what he referred to as “gaps” between the U.S. administration and the Syrian folks.

“These gaps need to be filled so that the two people can be friends and we can accomplish things that are beneficial to both nations,” he mentioned.

Marwan mentioned the area ought to be taught from previous U.S. expertise of battle in locations like Afghanistan and Iraq, saying it “doesn’t work.”

“War begets war, war begets hate, war begets evil, war begets destruction,” he mentioned.

He emphasised that he wished the American folks to know that there isn’t any “animosity” between the 2 international locations.

“The United States is a grand nation, and is at the helm of all nations, for which we have great respect and appreciation for, and has expertise that we want to take advantage of,” he mentioned.

Marwan mentioned that america and Syria wanted one another.

“Any illogical political or military conflict will rob us of all mutual benefits,” he mentioned.

“We only hold respect and appreciation” for the U.S., he mentioned.

Governor as activist

Marwan hails from an elite Damascus household and grew up in a rich neighborhood within the capital. He mentioned he fled to Idlib in 2011 after being harassed by Assad’s safety forces for collaborating in protests that erupted throughout Syria as a part of the Arab Spring uprisings throughout the Center East. Assad’s violent clampdown on the peaceable protests triggered Syria’s 13-year civil battle.

Marwan graduated with a level in Islamic regulation from Idlib College and spent a decade working in administration at varied companies. There he mentioned he felt “burning” to alter Syria.

“We wanted to free Syria from the security iron fist against the Syrian people,” he mentioned. “Security should be felt among all people, not to feel fear.”

Marwan mentioned that the previous regime raised a wall between it and its folks.

“We used to say, ‘We feel fear from Syria’ — now we say, ‘We fear for Syria,'” he mentioned.

Hayat Tahrir al-Sham

Marwan mentioned he was drawn to HTS as a result of they had been “organized, had a plan, and a concept to save Syrians.”

He referred to as HTS a venture with out precedent. With time, he argued, the group developed the maturity to distinguish between who was an enemy and a buddy, and what wanted to be accomplished to construct a rustic.

Marwan mentioned he had by no means personally joined al-Qaida and was happy when HTS reduce ties with the terrorist group.

“Al-Qaida doesn’t represent the Syrian people or its aspirations,” he mentioned.

The most important challenges forward

The principle problem for the federal government now that the Assad regime is gone is constructing belief between the folks and their governmental establishments, Marwan mentioned.

“People have an old view that institutions are beneficial for the regime and not for them,” he mentioned.

One in every of his large challenges, he mentioned, is to struggle corruption. Most civil servants earned a non-living wage, he mentioned, forcing them to rely on facet incomes from bribes and presents.

“To change this, you must raise the quality of life, by increasing wages, providing employment opportunities, enhancing investments and attracting investors,” he mentioned.

Marwan mentioned Syria additionally faces a frightening geopolitical problem. For this, he blames the Assad regime.

“The previous regime exploited our important geographical location to benefit other countries, like Iran, and Hezbollah’s militias,” he mentioned.

This generated an enormous skilled hole for Syrians, Marwan mentioned. Among the many 550 workers on the governor’s workplace, he mentioned, solely two knew learn how to use a laptop computer.

Harnessing the facility of those that had been a part of the previous regime is critical for the steadiness of the area, he argued, and ought to be supported by the worldwide neighborhood, particularly america.

Extra reporting by Daniel Estrin in Tel Aviv.